Savannah is a new mom to this nest. She likely has not been through this before. Newman should be an old hand at it, but these are still his kids and he is a protective dad. :)
Yes, they have been banding at this location for many years. It's really good for them to do this because if one is injured and goes in to rehab or a raptor veterinarian, the numbers can be looked up, the personnel can find out how old they are and where they came from. Also the same if one is found deceased. It would be recorded as to how long that bird lived, where it came from and even possibly it's nest if it's an older bird with a family.
I don't understand why they need to be put through the needless stress of tagging. It's not like peregrine's are on the verge of extinction. Why not leave them alone?
It’s also so they can keep track of them, to see where they go, and which ones come back year after year. It’s part of the research. As you can see, once the babies are out, it also gives him an opportunity to spray for black flies, which have killed the young in the past by blocking their breathing passages.
Banding is carefully regulated by Federal and State laws and regulations. It is never done "just because" It is limited, and done only as needed for valid reasearch projects which are beneficial to the ecosystem. Those who issue permits and the highly trained banding personsnel are well aware of the stresses and dangers to the birds and take every precaution for the well being of the animals. Birds will encounter countless stressful encounters in their lives, most of which could be life threatening. Stressful it is, but banding is not a life threatening event. Banded birds also get a general health check and can be treated for dangerous parasites common in nesting environments.